Containers for containing and storing biological samples, namely blood and other bodily fluids, are well-known to those skilled in the art. Most notable of such container devices are vacuum containers, i.e., containers formed to have a vacuum contained therein for facilitating the collection of blood and/or other bodily fluids. Generally, such vacuum containers or vacutainers are brought into fluid communication with the fluid sample to be collected, via a needle or catheter that is inserted through a septum formed on the container, wherein the vacuum disposed within the container provides means for drawing the fluid into the container. Additionally, such containers typically have amounts of an anti-coagulant, such as HEPARIN, present within the container to prevent coagulation of the sample once the sample has been collected.
While such vacuum containers offer great benefit as a means for containing and storing biological samples, current methods and systems for depositing biological samples into vacuum containers suffer from numerous drawbacks. Generally, such conventional vacuum containers utilize a dual needle system to establish fluid communication between the container and the source from which the biological sample is to be extracted. However, the use of needles to establish the necessary fluid communication is particularly disadvantageous due to the potential for a needle-stick experience to occur, which can thus increase the chances a healthcare worker could become infected with such blood-borne diseases as AIDS or Hepatitis-B.
In addition, conventional vacuum containers are generally accessed by means, such as needles, which may damage the septum formed on the vacuum container. As a result, these access or port systems may destroy the vacuum contained within the container or, alternatively, may cause the sample collected within the container to leak therefrom. Moreover, such port systems are generally ineffective in closing off the fluid communication established between the container and the source from which the biological sample is derived once a sufficient amount of sample has been collected. As such, excess biological material can spill about the container and cause contamination. Still further, these currently used systems generally may not be repeatedly used or, at best, may only be repeatedly used for a limited number of times due to the potential for such systems to become clogged or otherwise insufficiently allow a sample to be collected by the vacuum container.
Accordingly, it is apparent that there is a need in the art to provide a system through which biological samples may be collected in a vacuum container wherein the threat of a needle-stick experience is virtually eliminated. Additionally, there is a need in the art to provide a vacuum container port system through which a biological sample may be collected without the threat of the sample leaking from the system as well as a port system which may be repeatedly used and may be accessed by most conventional vacuum containers currently in use.